The Research Group On South Africa (GRAS) is organising a conference on Founding Myths of the New South Africa . It will take place at the University of La Réunion (Réunion island, France) on 28-29 March 2003.

In contemporary South Africa, mythological production has played a major political and social role of nation re-legitimisation. However, the deliberate construction of a unifying and inclusive mythology does not prevent competing mythologies from emerging. The following issues will be explored : the genesis and discursive context of myth production in the New South Africa; the stakes of myth production for the elite, the minorities and public opinion in South Africa in terms of power; the myth institutionalisation process and its outcomes in terms of political future for South Africa.

Proposals of papers (title and summary of 5-15 lines) should be sent by 15th February 2003 by e-mail exclusively to the contact listed. Papers may be written either in French or English and should not exceed 5 000 words.